Nursery Practitioner in Sheffield

Main area Childcare Services Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Permanent: Full and part time positions available. Hours

• Full time
• Part time

37.5 hours per week (Hours to be worked flexibly throughout the week between the hours of 6:45am and 6:30pm) Job ref 190-1793-DIR-S-B

Employer Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Sunshine Day Nursery RHH Town Sheffield Salary £25,760 - £27,476 pa/pro rata for part time staff Salary period Yearly Closing 11/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 19/10/2026

Nursery Practitioner

NHS AfC: Band 3

We are committed to helping our staff balance their work and home lives and ensure they feel supported, valued and appreciated so whilst you care for our patients and clients, we’ll take care of you. We offer many different ways of helping staff including career development opportunities, flexible working, good annual leave and pension schemes , health and wellbeing packages and financial support systems. Joining the Trust also allows you access to a number of saving options via our salary sacrifice schemes and a wide range of discount opportunities with retailers and service providers.

Job overview

Due to expansion, we’re looking for Level 3-qualfiied Nursery Practitioners to join our fantastic Sunshine Day Nursery teams at Sheffield's Royal Hallamshire hospital.

Offering year-round childcare to NHS and hospital staff, each site cares for up to 144 children and features dedicated baby, toddler, and pre-school units, extended opening hours (6.45am to 6.30pm),

We pride ourselves on giving children the best start in life, and our great staff are committed to giving children a fun, social, stimulating, and safe environment for them to develop and thrive.

As well as day-to-day childcaring, you’ll also be responsible for preparing and organising a wide range of learning activities and resources for the children, as well as maintaining good communication and relationships with parents.

We’re looking for people who share our enthusiasm, commitment, and high standards to delivering fantastic childcare. To apply, you’ll need your Level 3 Early Years / Childcare qualification, and a sound knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) standards.

Being part of the NHS, you’ll also have access to a wide range of rewards and benefits you won’t find in the private sector – from pay progression, great annual leave and NHS pension, flexible hours, discounts with local and national shops and retailers, discounted travel, childcare with us, and more.

Main duties of the job

To support the Senior Nursery Practitioner in ensuring an excellent quality service and to be a good role model and support Childcare Assistants, Apprentices and Students with their development and practice.

To be responsible for providing an interesting and stimulating environment which is well organised and facilitates independence and resourcefulness for the children.

To ensure the Development of good quality learning opportunities and activities, inside and outside which provide an interesting, inclusive and stimulating environment.

Providing excellent care and educational opportunities for the children within your care.

To ensure the organisation, preparation and collection of resources in the nursery in a timely manner.

Planning and implementing activities and experiences which are appropriate for children of all ages and stages of development using the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and Ofsted guidelines.

Preparing children’s work for display, ensuring that it is well presented and promotes self-esteem.

Providing information displays for parents and carers.

Working for our organisation

You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes a firm commitment to professional development of it’s staff together with the provision of an excellent health and well-being support service.

Sunshine Day Nurseries are part of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Staff training and development is really important to us, and we offer the chance to do further childcare qualifications and progression towards childcare coordinator roles, as well as a variety of regular in-house and external courses.

Please note this advertisement can be appointed as either a full time or part time opportunity.

We regret that having reviewed this post, it does not meet the legal requirements to qualify for skilled worker visa sponsorship and, therefore, any applicants for this post must have the legal right to work in the UK with no restrictions or another form of visa. We will not be able to progress any applications from individuals who do not confirm that they have that right in their application.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Ability to demonstrate literacy and numeracy skills to Level 2 as evidenced by: NVQ 3 in Childcare/Education or equivalent qualification
• General IT Skills
• First Aid Certificate
• Safeguarding certificate

Experience

• Relevant experience within a Day Care/childcare setting
• Relevant experience in EYFS and curriculum planning
• An awareness of child development and Health & Hygiene
• Some knowledge on Safeguarding Children
• Patients First - An interest in working with children and their families within a childcare setting.
• Ability to provide good quality care with compassion, commitment and competence.
• Respectful - An understanding of the importance of effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Understanding of the needs of children and their families and providing care whilst maintaining dignity.
• Effective communication skills both verbal and written.
• Effective organisational skills
• Unity - Ability to work as part of a team Ability to work in partnership with parents and any outside agencies in a professional manner.
• Deliver - Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the role of a Nursery Practitioner.
• Understanding the requirements of confidentiality in a Childcare setting

Other Factors

• Willingness to undertake training as required by the post

Please note that in order to comply with the UK Government’s rules on Skilled Worker sponsorship, any applicants who do not meet the eligibility requirements or concessions on salary thresholds under the Skilled Worker visa will not be eligible to receive sponsorship from the Trust. Please keep this in mind when submitting your application. Further details on these concessions, and who qualifies for them, can be found here .

Candidates are advised to read the attached guidance on using AI technology. W hen you complete your application, you are required to declare that the information in your application form is true and complete. The personal statement is exactly that; personal.

If you are offered employment at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals your information will be transferred from the Trac recruitment system into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. In addition, in submitting an application form, you authorise our Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed.

All employment with the Trust is subject to a number of NHS Employment Checks being met to a satisfactory standard including verification of identity, eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, references and qualifications in addition to professional registration, a disclosure and barring records check and occupational health check if these are deemed to be a requirement for the position to be undertaken.

For more information about our organisation and the opportunities available, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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